Cowell's reaction was typical for the acerbic judge, who told Extra, "Wow. That's a shock. It's like being told Santa Claus isn't real. Unbelievable!" Sarcasm aside, Cowell finished his comment by supporting Clay's decision. "Good for him. If he said it, it's the right thing for him," he said. " I don't think anyone cares. Let's face it. It's 2008. You know. Who cares?"

Who cares indeed. Apparently a lot of Clay's fans do care and their reactions range from relief to profound disappointment. Thousands have posted on a thread on the subject on Clay's official Web site since word leaked out Tuesday and other fan sites have also seen a huge bump in traffic and participation.

Three of Clay's fellow Idol 2 alum - Carmen Rasmusen, Rickey Smith, and Vanessa Olivarez - have also expressed their support. While Rasmusen was surprised, Olivarez says she was not. "I have good gaydar - Claydar! - and it definitely wasn't the shocker of the year," she told People.

On Wednesday, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation released a statement in support of Clay's very public announcement.

"We congratulate Clay for making this decision and for setting an example for others and his family," said Neil Giuliano, GLAAD's president. "As we're seeing, more and more gay people, including celebrities, are living openly and honestly, and this has tremendous impact in terms of creating awareness, understanding and acceptance."

For his part, Clay is well-aware that he may lose some fans. "I've never intended to lie to anybody at all," he says in the People article. "But if they leave, I don't want them to leave hating me."